Day 2.37 IF and MAYBE

Another visit to UW Med yesterday. The wonderfully talented and incredibly personable staff in the cardiology wing have grown somewhat accustomed to my antics. They seem to appreciate the fact that I am a shade of odd. We compare notes, run some tests, download the data and try to find the areas we can improve upon. Inevitably I reiterate my desire to race at the Triathlon World Championships in Kona. They patronize with skillful compassion.

Going in yesterday I was pretty sure that the major issue was the medications. Yes, they have controlled the rhythm of my beats, but the side effects were creating an almost equal to, or greater than, state of imbalance.

Symptom examples include inability to sleep, irritability, nervousness, obtuse reactions to light and sound and some other minor things I would just as soon keep private (for now). They, including the lead Electrophysiologist, an FHRS, FACC, MD who has performed all the procedures, including the pacer implant, a person I respect highly, all agreed that the culprit is most likely the nasty orange wafers known as amiodarone. Everyone I have met, talked to, exchanged stories or inquired of, makes a scrunched-up face when the drug is mentioned. Yuk, they all agree.

Count me among them.

As a result of my (me and the pacer working at 94%) keeping out of A-Fib these last 100 plus days, they feel as I do that another tweak is in order to better control the down side. A little fine tuning. Let's see if we can lower the dosage from 200mg to 100mg a day and remain away from any arrhythmias. And IF that works MAYBE your side symptoms will recede as well, they say with the zest of hope. I ask if it is greedy of me to want the best of both. They once again chuckle and smile with the wisdom of experience.

Please notice the IF and MAYBE fully capitalized above. Two words I find particularly weak.

But I am willing to give it a go. I will extend my best effort and gauge the ongoing experiment in the hope of getting some positive results.

'Cause I'll take if and maybe any day of the week as compared to their alternatives.

If and Maybe Baby!